Crossing signal



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CROSS ING S IGNAL Filed. July l5 1922 @www atented Apr. 22, 1924.

ATENT OFFICE.

'WALTER W. LANGE, 0F SHOREWOOD, AND FREDERICK S. LAWRIE, OF MILWAUKEE,

WISCONSIN.

CROSSING SIGNAL.

Application filed July 13, 1922. Serial No. 574,722.

To all wiz om it may camera.'

Be it known that we, `WALTER .W. LANGE.

and Frinnnmcr; S. LAWRIE, bothcitizens of the United States, andresidents of Shorewood and Milwaukee, respectively, in the county ofMilwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented new `and usefulImprovements in Crossing Signals, of which the following is adescription, reference being had to the accompanylng drawings, which area part of this specification.

This inventlon relates to new and useful improvements in crossingsignals more especially designed for safety at junctions of intersectingstreets.

In U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,410,007, granted March 21, 1922, toRichard F. Downey is illustrated a crossing signal li ht of the mushroomor dome ty e, wherein the skeleton dome is capable o yieldingreciprocation within its housing, so that the dome is depressed wheninadvertently struck or run over by a vehicle to eliminate possibilityof serious accident.

In this patent, the skeleton dome is reciprocally mounted in the basemember and has a snug but sliding fit in order to excludel moisture,which is a highly objectionable structure, frequently resulting insticking of the dome and the consequent inability of the same to readilyyield under load strain.

It is, therefore, one of the objects of thisinvention to providecooperating means carried by the fixed base or housing and the yieldablemember whereby the yieldable member may be loosely fitted in the baseand, at the same time, exclude all moisture when the yieldable member isin its normal position.

Another objection to the Downey structure is that when it is raining,water stands about the yieldable member and when the same is depressedthe water follows the movable member into the' fixed member resulting inconsiderable leakage into the interior of the signal.

Havin thisin mind, our invention has for anot er object to provide asignal of the class described in which a water shed is provided whereball moisture is immediately drained an conveyed from thesignal.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of meansnormally urging the movable member to its position projecting above theixed member and yieldable means engageable with the movable member uponjj depression a predetermined degree to cushion the same and preventinjury to the parts by reason of the sudden depression of the movablemember and to permit the employment of a comparatively weak yieldablemeans and to further provide a support for thev wheel of the vehiclepassingover the movable-member on substantially the same plane as theuppermost portion of the fixed member.

A still further object of this invention resides in the provision of acrossing signal of the character described having an improved mountingfor the `lights thereof and one wherein all the parts are readilyaccessible for the purpose of repair or renewal.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, our invention resides in the novel constructioncombination and arrangements of parts substantially as hereinafterdescribed and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it beingunderstood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made -as come within .the scope of theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, we have illustrated one complete exampleof the physical embodiment of our invention constructed according to thebest mode we have so far devised for the practical application of theprinciples thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a crossing lsignal embodying the featuresof our invention, parts thereof being broken away to more clearlyillustrate details of construction, and

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken through Figure 1 on the plane of line2 2.

Referring' now more particularly to the accompanying drawings in whichlike numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, thenumeral 5 deslgnates a cylindrical housing which is sunk into a wellrovided for the pur ose. The housin is ormed at its top with a beveledbea 6, which merges into an inwardly yextended flange 7, the bead 6projecting above the ground or bed line.

Vertically, slidably mounted in housing 5 is a base member or supportinghead 8, the same being in the form of a hollow piston having its sidewalls 9 loosely fitted within the housing. The housing and head arepreferably cylindrical, in which case the head is held against rotarymovement in the housing by a rib or key 10 carried by the housing'walland engaging in a keyway 11 formed in the piston side wall. Obviously,if these relatively movable parts are formed polygonal in shape, thekeyway constructlon illustrated may be eliminated.

The top portion of the piston head. 1s slightly reduced in diameter withthe side wall of the reduced part tapered upwardly and inwardly, as at12, to correspond with the taper of the inner periphery 13 of flange 7,a suitable packing or gasket 14 being carried by head 8 to form a waterti ht union between the piston head and houslng when the head is inits-normal position. This construction forms a valve, the upper or topportion of the piston head providlng the valve member and the peripheryof flange 7 the valve seat;

The piston head is yieldably urged, at all times, to its normal positionillustrated in Figure 2 lby a coil spring 15, one end of which engagesagainst the under face of the head 8 and the other end of which engagesan end plate 16 closing the bottom of housing 5. The spring is properlycentered within the housing by a boss or raised portion 17 formed on theend plate 16 and a boss or raised portion 18 carried by the head.

As illustrated in Figure 2, the top of head 8 is beneath the uppermostportion of bead 6 when in normal position, and removably mounted on thehead by securing means 19 is a skeleton dome 20, the spokes 21 of whichradiate from a central pad portion 22. The spokes 21 terminate in a ring23 of a diameter slightly less than that of the opening through bead 6and the outer surface of the skeleton dome forms a substantialcontinuation of the inclination of bead 6.

The head 8 is centrally recessed, as at 24, and closing the recess is apanel 25 preferably of nonconducting material and removably secured inplace -by fastenings 26. One or more lamp sockets 27 are mounted onpanel 25 which are in circuit with a fuse 28 and feed wires 29 and havemounted therein suitable light bulbs 30. The feed wires pass downwardlythrough head 8 and housing 5 and outwardly through an opening orpassageway 31 in end plate 16 and the wall of the housing and areconnected through a junction box 32 with the service line 33.

A dome-shaped transparent globe 34 of any suitable design or color,whereby the mushroom is rendered visible at night, en-

` closes the light bulbs 30, the globe having its edge directedlaterally, to be engaged by a removable mounting ring 35 secured to head8 by fastening members 36. A water tight joint is provided between rin35 and the fiange'o the globe by a suita le gasket or other packing.

Formed in the bead 6 at intervals are drains or passages 37 whichregister with openings 38 in ring 23 to provide a water shed for thesignal.` any moisture falling on the signal is immediately drainedtherefrom by flowing from the space between the skeleton dome and globe34 through openings 38 and outwardly through drains 37, the inner endsof which are on a higher plane than their outer ends to prevent backflowing of water, as will be readily apparent:

The spring 15 is preferably of light construction to permit readydepression of the signal proper immediately upon impact by a vehicleirrespective of its weight and the lowering or depressing action of thesignal proper is arrested by a cushion spring 39, the lower end of whichis nested in a depression or recess 40 formed in projection 17 and theupper end of which engages within a depression 41 in the projection 18of the head member when said head member is sufliciently depressed.

By reason of this construction, a vehicle passing over the signal merelydepresses the dome to the planeof the uppermost portion of bead 6, theoccupants experiencingonly a slight ar, that of passing over the bead.lmmediately upon the vehicle whe'el passing'off the dome, spring 15expands and returns the signal to its normal osition illustrated in thedrawing. The clrcuit of lights 30 is preferably such that in the eventone bulb urns out the other remains lighted to prevent darkening thesignal.

What we claim-as our invention is:

1. A crossing signal, comprising a base member, a skeleton,substantially domeshaped, framework carried by the base member, a lightwithin the framework, a translucent dome within the framework andcovering the light, and a passageway leading from the space between theskeleton framework and the dome to provide a water shed for the signal.

2. A crossing signal, comprising a base member, a skeleton,substantially domeshaped, framework carried by the base member, a lightwithin the framework, a transslucent dome within the framework andcovering the light, a bead surrounding the periphery of the framework,the bead having its outer face inclined upwardly and inwardly to form asubstantial continuation With this constructionof the shape of theframework and having member, a passageway t rough the bead andcommunicating with the space between the framework and the dome toprovide a water shed for the signal, and means permitting verticalmovement of the framework with respect to the bead.

4. A crossing signal, com rising a housing, an inwardly rojec fiange atits upper end, a head member reciprocally mounted in the housing, asignal carried by the head member and normally' rojecting above thehousing, means norma y urging the head member to a position with thesignal projected above the housing, and a part carried by the headmember and cooperating with the housing flange to provide a valveconstruction excluding moisture from the interior of the housing whenthe head member is in its upper-most position.

5. A crossing signal, com rising a housing, an inwardly projecto flangeat its upper end, a hea member reciprocally mounted in the housing, asignal carried by the head' member and normally rejecting above thehousing, means norma y urging the head member to a position with thesignal projected above the housing, a part carried by the head memberand cooperating with the housing flange to provide a valve constructionexcluding moisture from the interior of the housing when the head memberis in its upper-most position, and means for conveying moisture fallingon the signal outwardly of the housing.

6. A. crossing signal, comprising a housing an inwardly projected angeat its upper end, a head member reciprocally mounted in the housing, asignal carried by the head member and normally rejecting above thehousing, the peripheries of the flange and head member being corresondingly tapered, a packing member positioned between said fiange andhead member, and

5% said packing member, flange and head member cooperating to provide avalve structure when the head is in normal osition to exclude moisturefrom the interior of the housing, and means urging the valve member tonormal position.

7. A crossing signal, comprising a housing, an upwardly and inwardlytapered bead carried by the upper end of the housing, a head memberreciprocally mounted in the housing, means normally urgin the headmember outwardly of the housing, a

ome within the framework and signal light carried 'by the'he'ad member,a globe covering said light, a skeleton framework carried by the headmember and protectmg the signal light and globe, the skele- 'tonframework normally projectin above the bead with its periphery attachedto the head member and at all times on a plane beneath the bead, throughthe framework and bead whereby a water shed is provided. 8. A. crossingsignal, comprising a housing, an upwardl and inwardl tapered beadcarried by t e upper end o the housing, a head member reciprocallymounted in the housing, means normall urging the head member outwardlyof t e housing, a Y

signal light carried by the head member, a globe coverin said light, askeleton framework carried y the head member and projecting the signallight and globe, the skeleton framework normally projectin ,above thebead with its periphery attache to the head member and at all times on aplane beneath the bead, a water tight joint between tlie head member andhousing when the head member is in normal position, and drain passagesin the bead and communicating with the space between the frame work anddrain passagesv and globe, whereby a water shed is pro- 9 vided.

9. A crossing signal, comprising a housing, a head member reciprocallymounted therein, a si' al carried by the ead member, yieldab e meansnormally ur 'ng the head member upwardly to project t e signal above thehousing, the head member moving against the action of the yieldablemeans when opposed by load strain to sink the signal to approximatelythe line of the plane of the roa ed, and a yieldable member engageablewith the head member upon the same being depressed a predetermineddegree to cushion the same.

10. A crossing signal, comprising a housing, a head member reciprocallymounted therein, a signal carried by the head member,A a comparativelyweak yieldable mem-i ber normally urging the head member upwardly toproject the signal above the housing, the head member moving against theaction of the yieldable member when opposed by load strain to sink thesignal to approximately the line of the plane of the road bed, and asecond yieldable member of greater strength than the first yieldablemember and engageable with the head member upon the same being depresseda predetermined degree to cushion the same.

11. A crossing signal, comprising a substantially vertically movablesignal mo inted to normally project above the bed .of the road, meansyieldably urging the signal to its normal position, the signal movingagainst the action of the yieldable means when opposed by load strain tosink the signal approximately to the line of the plane of the road bed,and Ivieldable means operable upon the signa being depressed apredetermined degree to cushion the same.

12. A erossin signal, comprising a housing, an inwardly projecting angeat the upper end thereof having itsinner'face inclined upwardly andinwardly, u head member ofrslmilar form to the housingand reciprocallymounted therein, a. signal carried by the head member und normallyrejecting above the housing, means norma ly urging the head memberupwardly to position the signal above the housing, a reduced portion onthe upper part of the Iheed member having its walls inclined upwardlyand inwardly corresponding to the inclination of the inner face of saidhousingl liange and adapted to abut the housing ange to limit the upwardmovement of the head member, and u packing confined between the headmember projection and said ange whenthe head member is at its uppermostlimit of movement to provide a water tight joint therebetween.

.In testimony whereof we aix our signatures.

VALTER W. LANGE. `FREDERICK S. LAWRIE.

